After repairs in the bathroom or in the kitchen, there are often so many shortcomings that you can only wonder. They must be eliminated, otherwise all the charm of the new finish is lost. Sealant leaks caused by the hand of an inept craftsman are especially inconvenient.
This useful material dries tightly to the surface and spoils the whole picture. If you do not remove ugly smudges right away, it will be difficult to do this later. How to remove silicone sealant from a bath, and how effective can such a procedure be? Do I need to urgently run to the store, can I get by with home remedies? More on all this later.
Sealant Properties
Before we talk about how to clean old silicone sealant in the bathroom, let's find out what it actually is.
Silicone sealant is a fairly new building material that can come into contact with various surfaces. It is made from low molecular weight rubber and is able to harden fairly quickly. The sealant hardens at a temperature of about 20 degrees. After that, it becomes heat and water resistant, very difficult to remove.
Silicone sealants used in everyday life come in 2 types: acidic and neutral.
The first exude a strong acetic smell, contain many aggressive components. They must be handled with extreme care and only used in well ventilated areas.
Second - they smell almost nothing. They can be safely used on any surface. They are not aggressive and do no harm.
After hardening, modern silicone sealants have many useful characteristics:
- strength - provided by silicon;
- flexibility - remains flexible even after curing;
- resistance to most cleaning agents;
- hygienic - contain antibacterial components that prevent the development of fungal infections.
When should it be removed?
Despite all the positive properties of the substance, in some cases it may be necessary to get rid of it. But how to remove silicone sealant from the bath and when to do it?
Most often, "silicone" is used when carrying out repairs in the kitchen orsanitary facilities. This is due to its tightness and water-repellent properties. When should cured material be removed? There are several reasons for this:
- Mistakes in application. If, after curing, it turns out that the silicone was applied incorrectly and gaps remain, the seal will not be airtight. You will have to clean the entire seam and redo the procedure.
- Recklessness in the process of work. Anyone, even a very professional master, is capable of making mistakes. Inattention when applying the product may cause it to get into areas not intended for this purpose.
- Seam wear. Nothing is eternal. If the repair was carried out for a long time, the surface of the seam may darken and crack. The seal will have to be completely replaced.
- The appearance of the fungus. Especially often this happens in rooms with insufficient ventilation. The antibacterial additives contained in the sealant simply do not do their job.
In order not to think about how to remove silicone sealant from the bath, it is better to follow all the recommendations for its application even at the stage of preparatory work. Moreover, each manufacturer places detailed instructions directly on the tube. Strict adherence to the instructions will avoid redoing waterproofing work.
Mechanical cleaning
The first way to remove silicone sealant from a bath that immediately comes to mind is mechanical cleaning. That is, you just need to take it and scrape it off. Forthis will come in handy such improvised means:
- wallpaper or stationery knife, blades for them;
- scraper or spatula;
- knife, screwdriver, chisel;
- scissors;
- grater;
- pumice;
- sandpaper;
- metal brush and other items.
This technology can not be used on all surfaces, but only on those that are difficult to scratch.
The layer of hardened sealant is cut with a knife as close to the surface as possible. The remaining film is removed with a pumice stone, sandpaper, metal scraper or other similar means.
If, after the end of the process, greasy and dirty stains still remain on the surface, they can be removed using household chemicals, for example, a brush dipped in dishwashing detergent.
If there is not too much silicone, you can try to remove it by melting it with a building dryer. This device is capable of heating the air flow to a temperature of about 400 degrees. Silicone melts and can be easily removed.
Folk remedies for removing sealant
Fresh product, only squeezed out of the tube, is removed quite well with an ordinary woolen cloth or rubber scraper. How can I remove silicone sealant if it is already cured?
Hardened material can not only be cut. It lends itself well to dissolving various chemicals. But what if you don’t want to use aggressive chemicals? How to remove silicone sealant from a bath using folk methods?
Regular table s alt or soda
As an abrasive, you can use the usual s alt. It is applied to a damp sponge or rag and old traces are rubbed with effort. It is important to ensure that the s alt remains wet at all times during the cleaning process. Of course, very strong pollution in this way will be difficult to eliminate. But the remnants of sealant or a thin film of s alt, according to the hostesses, eliminates quickly and without a trace.
In the fight for the cleanliness of plumbing, you can use soda. It is also a good abrasive. Soda is a very affordable remedy. It is inexpensive and available in every household. In the same way as s alt, it is applied to a wet rag and thoroughly rubbed on the contaminated area.
Acetic essence or "Dichlorvos"
Here are a few more ways to remove silicone sealant in the bathroom. These components, although much more aggressive, are also quite “popular”.
To clean the bath from the sealant, you can use vinegar essence (at least 70%). It dissolves silicone well and allows you to remove it without a trace. The product is applied to the surface of the contamination and left for 10-20 minutes. Then a hard cloth is moistened with vinegar (a “waffle” towel will do) and the contaminated area is rubbed quite strongly. Don't forget gloves, the substance can corrode your hands!
The repellant Dichlorvos, which is familiar to many, also has unexpected properties in this matter. It contains solvent. If you believe the reviews, this is a strong enough solvent that can cope with cured silicone. True, here you have to stock upnot only gloves, but also a respirator. "Dichlorvos" has an unpleasant aroma. The bonus will be the complete disappearance of various midges and insects in your house.
Handy chemical materials
And here are a few more ways to remove excess silicone sealant using well-known solvents. If you've been remodeling, you'll probably find something from the list below in your home:
- kerosene;
- white spirit;
- diesel fuel;
- solvent;
- acetone;
- gasoline "Kalosha";
- other solvents.
The choice will depend on more than just what is available. It is important to pay attention to the type of surface you are going to clean. You also need to see what kind of silicone you used. Acidic cleaners are best cleaned with acetic acid, but for neutral ones, use alcohol-based solvents.
Aggressive chemistry - washes and cleaners
If all the means described above did not work, you will have to go to the store for special washes. Sometimes this is the only option than to remove the old silicone sealant. Old stains are difficult to remove, but according to user reviews, purchased solvents for silicone cope with the task with ease.
Judging by the reviews, among the most popular, we can distinguish the following:
- HG Silicon seal remover.
- Penta-840.
- Quilosa Limpiador.
- Silikon-Entferner.
- Mellerud.
- Dow Corning OS-2.
- Soudal.
- Sili-kill.
There are many similar aerosols, pastes and liquids, but these have received the most positive user reviews.
Each tool has clear instructions for use, but in general the process can be described as follows:
- apply the substance to the dirty area with a special sprayer, brush or soft cloth;
- leave to work for a while;
- remove sealant residue with a spatula, wooden spatula or other tool.
It is very important to carry out all work with similar means in a respirator and thick rubber gloves. If they can dissolve sealant, imagine what they can do to your hands.
After the product is completely removed, wash the treated area with plenty of warm water and detergent or soap.
Features of sealant removal from different surfaces
Subtleties of surface treatment will also depend on the material from which it is made. For example, do you know how to remove silicone sealant from an acrylic bathtub? What about cast iron? And with enameled or steel? Every process has subtleties. We will talk about them further.
1. Enamel bath. Such plumbing remarkably tolerates conventional mechanical cleaning. It can be rubbed without a twinge of conscience, scraped with a spatula or knife. If all else fails, streaks can be removed with aggressive solvents, and then the residues can be cleaned off withmetal hedgehog soaked in dishwashing detergent.
2. Bath made of metal (steel). It is better not to use alkaline or acidic solvents to clean such a surface. These products can leave unsightly black spots. This happens due to the oxidation of the metal. According to the hostesses, the Dow Corning OS-2 solvent showed the best results. It is enough to apply it on pollution and wait 10 - 15 minutes. The silicone will roll into small balls that can be easily peeled off.
If a suitable solvent could not be found, you can use a building hair dryer or fine s alt.
3. Cast iron bath. Such plumbing can be cleaned as you like. Cast iron easily withstands exposure to most chemical solvents. In addition, it can be scraped and rubbed. To remove the sealant without a trace, you can cut off the thickest layer with a knife. Then use a plastic spatula and remove the residue. The placement is cleaned with a pumice stone or “sandpaper”, and then washed with a sponge dipped in a cleaning solution.
4. Acrylic bath. This is the most “gentle” type of coating and must be handled with care. There is consolation in the fact that the adhesion of silicone to acrylic is much weaker. It will be easier to clean up such pollution. Here you can use the same Dow Corning OS-2 solvent. According to reviews, it does not harm the acrylic surface and gently removes silicone. It is enough to smear the contaminated place and leave for about an hour. Next, the dissolved silicone is washed with a soft cloth, and the treatment sitewash with dish soap.
Tips from experienced
In order not to spoil the plumbing, follow these simple rules:
- Try the selected remedy on an inconspicuous area. If no negative effects are found after 15 minutes, use the product on the entire surface.
- Make sure you have good ventilation during work, take gloves and a respirator.
- To achieve the best result, use all the means alternately, depending on the aggressiveness of the impact.
- Try to remove the sealant at the stage of construction work, then it will not be necessary to clean it after polymerization.
You can get rid of silicone sealant drips. It is only necessary to remember that each material has its own methods of exposure. The right choice of means guarantees not only efficiency, but also safety.
